1. Field of the Invention
The invention is concerned with welding and more particularly with welding fluxes which are used in an oxygen containing atmosphere. Most particularly, the invention is concerned with reducing the particulate matter or "smoke" produced during a welding operation by using an improved and unique welding flux composition. The improved welding flux composition of the present invention also insures that the transfer of certain desirable metals to the weld is increased whereby less of these metals can be used in prior art welding operations.
2. Prior Art
The prior art teaches a number of flux formulations for use in welding processes. For example, the article "Effects of Complex Ferroalloys on the Transfer of Alloying Elements Into Deposited Metal" by I. G. Noskov (Automatic Welding, Volume 23, No. 12, Dec. 1970) discloses the use of ferroalloys which contain carbon, silicon, manganese and chromium to aid in the transfer of silicon and chromium into a deposited metal weld. U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,713 discloses a flux core which contains calcium, magnesium and strontium flourides. U.S. Pat. No. 2,909,778 discloses the use of magnesium manganese and the like and rare earths which create a smoky vapor barrier during the welding process. U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,225 discloses the use of fluxes which contain ferromanganese, ferrisilicon, ferrotitanium, ferroaluminum, and an arc stabilizer such as the oxides and salts of alkali metals. U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,061 discloses a welding core comprising a slag former, a fluxing agent, an arc stabilizer and a deoxidizer metal including manganese and silicon along with other metal alloys and ferroalloys. U.S. Pat. No. 2,909,650 discloses the uses of fluxes which contain various killing agents set out therein. U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,620 discloses the use of various flux compositions which may serve as denitrodizing agents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,090 discloses the use of various cores which may contain flourites, ferromanganese, alumina, manganese ore and iron powder. U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,458 discloses the use of cores which may contain ferromanganese, feldspar, rutile concentrate, ferrosilicate, and ferrosilicon along with iron powder.
While the prior art compositions each have many advantages, it has been found that with each of them a very noticeable amount of particulate matter, generally referred to as "smoke" is developed during a welding operation in an oxygen containing atmosphere. In this regard, it should be pointed out that even if the welding is shielded as with carbon dioxide gas that oxygen is still present in the atmosphere due to the decomposition of the carbon dioxide gas to elemental oxygen and carbon monoxide. The present invention is concerned with a unique flux formulation and to the use thereof in a welding composition, and a welding process whereby the particulate matter or smoke produced is very significantly reduced while the transfer of desirable metals such as manganese and/or magnesium into the weld is significantly increased.